A motorist has been hospitalized after a collision at Delk Road and Franklin Gateway Wednesday afternoon, and police are searching for the driver they say caused the accident.
The victim’s name has not been released by Marietta Police, who said that a male driver slammed into two vehicles at the intersection around 12:45 p.m. after being pursued in a traffic stop.
Police said a gray 1997 Mercury Cougar was heading north on Franklin Gateway when a uniform officer noticed the car wasn’t displaying a proper license plate.
When the officer tried to initiate the traffic stop, the Cougar turned left into a filling station, then sped away and ran a red light at the intersection, hitting two vehicles, police said.
The driver of the first vehicle that was hit was trapped inside and later taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, according to police, who did not indicate the victim’s condition.
Police said the suspect fled on foot. He is described as a black male, with a medium skin tone and dreadlocks. He was last seen wearing a striped shirt, blue jeans and khaki colored boots.
Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact Officer Parker at the Marietta Police Department. The main number is 770-794-5300.
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Some midweek overnight bridge work on the Windy Hill Road southbound ramp to Interstate 75 is being done on the continuing Northwest Corridor Project tonight and Wednesday night that may affect some East Cobb motorists.
From 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. both nights, it’s a multiple-lane closure: A double-left-lane closure starts at 11 p.m., then shifts to a triple-left-lane closure beginning at midnight until 5 a.m.
This closure extends—again, only in the southbound direction—from north of Windy Hill Road to Windy Ridge Parkway.
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Maj. Brian Batterton visits with Rosan Hall at the East Cobb Business Association breakfast Tuesday. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)
Maj. Brian Batterton, who began his career with the Cobb County Police Department in Precinct 4, is returning to become commander of the East Cobb-based unit.
Batterton, who succeeds Maj. Jerry Quan, is currently the commander of Cobb Police Precinct 5, which is in West Cobb.
His new appointment is another homecoming for Batterton, who still resides in East Cobb, in the Sprayberry High School area.
Batterton has been with Cobb Police since 1995, serving as a patrol officer, a criminal investigations supervisor and as a training center commander.
He made one of his first public appearances Tuesday at an East Cobb Business Association breakfast at the J. Christopher’s at East Lake Pavilions. Batterton will start his new duties Feb. 11.
In the interim, assistant commander Capt. Everett Cebula will be in charge of Precinct 4, which has around 70 officers and staff.
Batterton earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University and a juris doctor degree from John Marshall Law School. He also has served in the National Guard in Georgia and Alabama.
Quan retired on Friday after nearly 30 years with Cobb Police, and began work on Monday with the Cobb County School District Police Department.
In 2014, Quan was named East Cobb Citizen of the Year by the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.
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Last week we noted that Cobb Police were having a “coffee with a cop” session as part of its community policing efforts. On Wednesday, they’re inviting you to join them again to express your concerns about crime and public safety issues in East Cobb.
From 8-10 a.m., Officer Nathalie Jegg will be available at the Chick-fil-A at Woodlawn Square, 1201 Johnson Ferry Road. She’s the Cobb Police Precinct 4 community officer (all five precincts have such an officer).
Here’s how Cobb Police is explaining this initiative, which is an ongoing function of its new community affairs unit:
“Community policing and trust building is one of the most important aspects of community-based policing. We, as police, need to create the situations where those things can occur, but it is often difficult and we don’t always reach our intended audience with town hall meetings alone. Coffee with a Cop is the perfect answer to the question of how to better engage our community and show our officers in a true and human light. The Cobb County Police Department welcomes you to pull up a chair and talk.”
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Players, coaches and parent volunteers from all high schools in the county were honored at the Cobb County Touchdown Club dinner Sunday night.
The dinner was at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest Hotel. From Walton, Daniel Brunner was named coach of the year, Dominick Blaylock was named offensive player of the year and Austin Kirksey was named quarterback of the year.
Although the Raiders finished 11-1 and reached the second round of the state playoffs, they were not named the Cobb team of the year. That went to McEachern, which reached the Class AAAAAAA semifinals.
Walton’s Chris Hirschfield was named offensive coach of the year and Raiders player Cole Arendsen was named 48 Minute Man of the Year. From Lassiter, Derrik Allen was named defensive back of the year.
On the all-county offensive and defense teams of the year, the following East Cobb players were recognized:
Evan Conley, QB, Kell;
Josiah Futral, RB, Kell;
D.J. Soyoye, RB, Walton;
Michael Luckie, WR, Kell;
Zack Owens, WR, Pope;
Connor Gates, OL, Kell;
Justin Talley, DL, Kell;
Chance Jones, LB, Wheeler;
Aaron Bibbins, DB, Sprayberry;
Christian Jackson, DB, Lassiter.
A player from each school was also selected as a scholar-athlete of the year:
Connor Gates, Kell;
Chase Branch, Lassiter;
Ryan Inskip, Pope;
Zack Heib, Sprayberry;
Kris Kollias, Walton;
Jake Pereira, Wheeler.
And parents from all schools were recognized as volunteers of the year:
Richard Luckie, Kell;
Kate and Adam Beckerman, Lassiter;
DJ Van Deusen, Pope;
Jackie Blalock, Sprayberry;
Stuart Gurr, Walton;
Shontai Davidson, Wheeler.
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Cobb Police say a man robbed a Powers Ferry Road fast food restaurant Sunday night, right before closing time.
The suspect is a black male, and Cobb Police said he entered the Jimmy Johns sandwich shop at 1337 Powers Ferry Road around 9:30 p.m., demanding money from a clerk.
That restaurant is located across from Brumby Elementary School, and between Delk Road and Terrell Mill Road.
The suspect left the store with cash, according to police, who don’t have any more of a description other than he had a black pistol.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call Cobb Police at 770-499-3945.
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The Cobb school board on Thursday voted 7-0 for a Walton High School charter renewal for another five years.
Recent meetings with staff and parents included 100 and 99 percent approval for the renewal, respectively, according to deputy superintendent Alice Stouder.
Walton opened in 1975, and in 1998 became one of the first charter schools in Georgia. It’s called a conversion charter, which the state no longer allows.
Having charter status means Walton can develop academic and policy changes from certain local and state mandates and rules. In the past Walton has created programs like the International Spanish Academy (2009) and a STEM Academy (2014) to boost academic immersion in those subject areas.
For this charter rewewal, Walton requested eight waivers, including flexibility for scheduling, developing and implementing curriculum and assessment tools, controlling technology funding and acceptance of non-traditional classes toward graduation requirements.
Future plans with the new waivers include the creation of an honors graduate fine arts program, as well as a “Walton Digital Courses” program that would be taught online-only or in a hybrid format for topics “outside the general required curriculum.”
Here’s a full copy of the Walton charter petition, which underwent what East Cobb school board member Scott Sweeney called “an arduous process” to be renewed. The waiver information begins on page 17 of the document.
Also new is a redesigned Walton Governance Board, a five-member panel of parents and community members who work with school officials to oversee charter goals, the school strategic plan and other functions.
The new charter period will run through 2023.
SPLOST loan request approved
The school board will take out a $40 million loan to get ahead of its SPLOST construction schedule for this year and save some money while doing it.
In another 7-0 vote at Thursday’s meeting, the board voted to approve the loans, which must be repaid by the end of the year from later SPLOST revenues.
The loans will be used to continue projects approved in the Cobb Education SPLOST IV, which is in the final year of collection. The penny sales tax that’s collected for school construction and maintenance is expected to generate around $130 million in 2018, but Cobb school officials say construction costs are expected to increase 4-5 percent.
That’s why they want to take out $40 million in short-term borrowing now, instead of waiting for monthly collection monies. That would “allow us to get an acceleration on these projects” and complete them concurrently, Cobb schools superintendent Chris Ragsdale said at a school board work session Thursday afternoon.
He added that the loans are “not going to cover every project.” Bids for the loans are expected to go out in February, with the funding available in March.
Among the SPLOST IV projects still in progress or that will be underway soon include the rebuilds of East Cobb Middle School and Brumby Elementary School and new gyms at Lassiter High School and Walton High School, as well as a new fine arts building at Walton.
The short term construction notes would be sold in $100,000 denominations, primarily to large institutions. School officials say they will save more in construction expenses because of the loans than the estimated $700,000 in interest, fees and other costs to obtain them.
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It’s expected to be rainy Saturday and Sunday, but given the winter storms of recent weeks, that shouldn’t be enough to deter those eager to get out and enjoy a good variety of East Cobb weekend events:
They start off Friday morning with the kids consignment sale at the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road). The hours are 9-6 Friday and from 9-12 on Saturday;
Early Saturday morning it’s the 30th running of the Polar Bear Run at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road), and the temperatures aren’t expected to be frigid, in the high 40s. Not only has the event become at Peachtree Road Race qualifier, but those staging the Walton Raider Chase 5K are offering a special discount to Polar Bear runners to sign up for that Feb. 10 race. Message them on their Facebook page for details;
The Pope High School Band’s annual recycling event returns Saturday from 9-4 at the school (3001 Hembree Road), and the cost is $10 a car. Click the above link for details on what they’ll take and what they won’t accept before you head over there;
Staff from the office of U.S. Rep. Karen Handel will be available from 11-1 Saturday at the East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road) for Mobile Office hours, designed to help constituents sort through Social Security, IRS, immigration and other issues. No appointments are necessary, just show up with documents or other materials you’d like to have addressed;
If you’ve got young girls interested in softball, the Sandy Plains Softball Association is having its Fun Day Saturday from 12-2 (2977 Gordy Parkway), which includes walk-up registration for the spring season;
Georgia Young Adult author McCall Hoyle will be working with young writers from 3-5 Saturday on sharpening their skills for professional publications at the Mountain View Regional Library (3320 Sandy Plains Road). She’s a high school English teacher, and copies of her 2017 book “The Thing With Feathers” will be available for sale for $17. You’re asked to register for the session by calling the library at 770-509-4964;
Step out in style on Saturday night to benefit the Walton Chorus at its Fashion Show and Silent Auction fundraiser. “All You Need Is Love” starts at 7 at the school theater (1590 Bill Murdock Road), with student performers modeling current fashions, as well as plenty of raffle prizes. Tickets are $15 at the door and they’re accepting cash only.
Check out our full calendar listings for more things to do this weekend and beyond. Did we miss anything? Do you have a calendar item to share? Your event needs to be geographically located in East Cobb, and ideally we’d like to get it a week in advance. E-mail us: calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll post it.
Have a great weekend!
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A week after Cobb schools were closed for three days due to yet another winter storm, superintendent Chris Ragsdale reiterated the district’s decision not to make up for “snow” days, add to existing class days or reduce planned break weeks to compensate for lost class time.
The Cobb County School District has called off seven class days in the 2017-18 academic year already, including five due to winter weather since mid-December.
Students were in class only one day last week, on Tuesday, since the previous day, Jan. 15, was the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday.
Ragsdale said an extended calendar has enabled the district to avoid scheduling makeup days, a course chosen by some school districts in metro Atlanta. He said he has “full confidence” in the ability of teachers “to meet the academic needs of our students.”
The next break for Cobb students, teachers and staff is the winter break from Feb. 19-23, followed by spring break April 2-6. The state mandates that local school districts schedule 180 instructional delays, but some systems, including Cobb, have received waivers from that requirement.
At a Cobb Board of Education work session on Thursday, Ragsdale was asked by school board member David Banks what would happen if more bad weather forces cancellation of classes.
Ragsdale said while such an event is possible since it’s still January, “We’ll address that as we get there.
“It’s not my intent to modify the schedule at all,” he said. “I’m still looking for the crystal ball in knowing when to close and when not to close.”
Ragsdale said one of the main factors in deciding to close school is the safety of high school student drivers getting on the roads with inclement weather approaching.
When schools are released early for weather reasons, he explained that high schools are dismissed first, followed by middle schools and then elementary school students, so there would be someone waiting at home for the youngest children with school-age siblings.
Ragsdale said there have been some instances when elementary school students have been brought back to school because there was no one at home.
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Thanks to Trish Nicholas of the Georgia Metro Dance Theater for passing along the following information about the “Dancing With the Stars of Marietta” event Saturday night at the Earl Smith Strand Theater on the Square.
Ticket prices are between $20 and $55 and can be ordered by visiting the theater website:
The celebrity emcee for the company’s biggest fundraiser of the year, GMDT’S Dancing With The Stars of Marietta is Ross Cavitt, esteemed TV news reporter and Cobb County Communications Director will host the annual event that gets Marietta dancing.
The fourth annual fundraiser event to benefit GMDT will be held on January 27th, 2018 at 7 p.m. at the Earl & Rachel Smith Strand Theatre on the Historic Marietta Square. Online voting for dance teams is open at gmdtdwts.com.
Cavitt, an East Cobb resident, will host the annual GMDT’S Dancing With The Stars of Marietta, entertaining and engaging the audience as emcee. Currently Cobb County’s Communications Director, Ross retired from his illustrious TV career of more than three decades as a news reporter. He spent most of that time at WSB in Atlanta where he was Cobb County’s Bureau Chief, a Breaking News reporter, and – for a time – an on-air meteorologist.
Ross won multiple awards during his time at WSB, including several regional EMMY awards for spot news and live reporting, Associated Press and Georgia Broadcasters Association awards, and a regional Edward R. Murrow award for his coverage of the 2015 Adairsville tornado.
“I am excited to host GMDT’s Dancing With The Stars of Marietta this year,” commented Ross. “It is such a highly-anticipated and important event for GMDT, the dancers, and the community, because it garners needed financial support for the arts, our young dancers, and the dance company dedicated to the next generation of artists and leaders. As a result of the largest fundraiser of the year, the whole community benefits from a season of inspiring and entertaining GMDT performances, right here in Marietta.”
Twelve “celebrities” from Marietta have been paired up with choreographers to perform high-energy dance numbers on-stage in this exciting competition. On the night of the event, our celebrity dancers will show off their best dance moves and compete for the People’s Choice and the Judge’s Choice mirror ball trophies. To raise funds for GMDT, the public can help their favorite celebrity team win the People’s Choice mirror ball trophy by voting early at gmdtdwts.com (as well as by voting on mobile devices during the actual event). The People’s Choice award goes to the team that receives the most enthusiastic voter response. After viewing the performances, the judges will select the performance that merits the coveted Judge’s Choice award.
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High Meadows School is pleased to announce two of its faculty, Andy Stephens and Melissa Casorio, have been accepted to attend the National Institute of the Progressive Education Network’s (NIPEN) six-day workshop series. The workshop will be presented in two parts: three days at Wildwood School in Los Angeles in January, and three days at Francis W. Parker School in Chicago in April.
The break between sessions allows participants to apply their learning and action plans with the support of their three-person small group, then return to their workshop for follow-up and evaluation. The program will explore the historical context, ideals, and pedagogy of the Progressive Education movement, which aligns with High Meadows’ objective of inspiring both teachers and students to be globally aware, lifelong learners.
“We are so proud to invest in our teachers, who in turn guide our students, with high-caliber continuing education programs such as NIPEN,” says Jay Underwood, head of school for High Meadows. “Andy and Melissa are highly dedicated teachers who will experience new ways of teaching and responding to the developmental needs of our students. As a beacon for progressive education in this country, High Meadows is dedicated to these educational principles.”
NIPEN provides teachers an opportunity to learn from other educators and experts in the field. The workshop series is limited to a maximum of 24 participants in order to keep the experience focused and personal. NIPEN was held at High Meadows School in 2017.
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From the East Cobb high school band front, it’s the season for fundraisers.
The Walton Band Garage Sale is March 10, and earlier this month it began scheduling dropoff periods twice a week at Paper Mill Village
Your can go there each Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Suite 740 of Paper Mill Village (255 Village Parkway).
The dropoff site is near Moxie Burger and across from the Straw Dog boutique, and the items that are acceptable are gently used and able be resold.
If you have large furniture items to be picked up or for other questions and information, e-mail: garagesale@waltonband.org or leave a phone message at 678-719-9267.
This Saturday, the Pope Band recycling event takes place from 9-4 at the school (3001 Hembree Road). The cost is a $10 donation per car, and detailed sheet of accepted items can be found here.
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Northeast Cobb Commissioner JoAnn Birrell voted for a resolution requesting the Georgia General Assembly authorize a November referendum for a Cobb public safety sales tax (East Cobb News file photo).
By a 3-2 vote Tuesday night, a Cobb public safety tax referendum proposal was approved by the Board of Commissioners.
That means their resolution will be submitted to the Georgia legislature, which must authorize a local referendum to take place. Cobb wants the referendum scheduled for November.
The referendum proposal would collect a permanent penny sales tax for public safety costs that county officials say would generate $130 million a year.
Cobb’s six cities would get $34 million of that revenue, and the county would get the remaining $96 million, which would fund all public safety functions except the Cobb Sheriff’s Office.
The sales tax revenue would be used for general operating expenses, including salaries and benefits, as well as capital costs, such as new vehicles and equipment.
The tax would be collected only if Cobb voters approved a referendum.
Cobb currently collects six cents on every dollar in sales taxes.
Voting against the resolution was District 2 commissioner Bob Ott of East Cobb, who wanted the resolution to clarify what would happen with the left-over money in the general fund no longer being used for public safety purposes.
“There’s no discussion here of what happens to the millage in the general fund,” Ott said at a work session on Monday. “This is a tax increase otherwise.”
North Cobb commissioner Bob Weatherford, who is proposing the sales tax, said the board has the flexibility to roll back the property tax millage rate if it chooses.
That wasn’t enough of an assurance for Ott, who supports taking public safety spending out of the general fund but who reiterated his objections right before the vote.
District 3 commissioner JoAnn Birrell of Northeast Cobb supported the resolution, citing the high priority of public safety. “We have to put our money where our mouth is.”
The resolution was opposed by Lance Lamberton of the Cobb Taxpayers Association, who claimed the county doesn’t have a revenue problem but “a spending problem.”
Another sales tax, he said, “will amount to a very large tax increase on our citizens.”
Also sounding off on the vote Tuesday was Tom Cheek, a civic activist who has announced he’s running against Birrell in the Republican primary for District 3 this year.
Cheek wrote on his Facebook page that “by using the false flag of ‘Public Safety’ and the false promise of ‘we will lower your property taxes,’ the BOC took a huge step away from accountability.”
The other opposing vote on the board was Lisa Cupid of South Cobb, who referenced the county’s current budget challenges, with a projected fiscal year 2019 deficit between $30 million and $55 million.
“It’s hard to get our arms around a big gaping hole that’s affecting how everything functions in the county now,” she said.
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Seniors packed the East Cobb Senior Center earlier this month for a town hall meeting about fee increases that drew sharp opposition. (East Cobb News file photo).
UPDATED, Jan. 24, 12:23 p.m.:
On Tuesday, the Cobb Board of Commissioners approved a $60 annual membership fee, with a $5 monthly option, to go into effect Feb. 1. Scheduled increases in room rates and classes will be put on hold as a citizens committee will take up the issue.
That committee, which is to be selected to a special assistant to commission chairman Mike Boyce, will be examining fee structures and is expected to make recommendations by June.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 6:22 p.m., Jan. 22:
Increases for some Cobb senior services fees, particularly for room rentals and classes, may be put on hold after seniors protested during recent town hall meetings earlier this month, including one at the East Cobb Senior Center (previous East Cobb Newspost here).
The new fees were set to go into effect on Feb. 1, but Cobb commission chairman Mike Boyce wants to create a citizens committee to come up with alternatives to the staff proposals that upset seniors during those town hall meetings.
Cobb commissioners will be considering that measure at Tuesday’s regular meeting that starts at 7 p.m. on the 2nd floor of the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta.
Boyce is recommending that an annual membership fee of $60 for Cobb residents go into effect on Feb. 1, as commissioners had approved in October, but by charging $5 a month instead of the yearly amount in advance.
The commissioners discussed feedback from the town hall meetings at a work session on Monday.
As he did at the East Cobb meeting, Boyce apologized for how the county handled the proposed fee increases, which angered seniors as much as the steep costs for some services.
“We could have done this better,” Boyce said.
At the East Cobb town hall, major objections were made to room rental rates that in some cases were increases of more than 200 or even 300 percent. One group that meets there frequently, the Golden K Kiwanis, said the new rates would cost nearly as much money as the organization raises for its charitable programs.
Some class fees would more than double or even triple, especially for painting classes, which in some cases would have been raised from $48 to $160.
“I get their point,” Boyce said of the protests to those particular fees. “They would like to be part of the discussion. What we don’t want to do is freeze out the seniors.”
If the commissioners approve on Tuesday, existing room rates and class fees will continue until the committee makes its recommendations.
Another suggestion Boyce mentioned to his colleagues is using senior centers as community centers, and permitting programs for those under 55.
Northeast Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell also suggested a special fee structure for groups that use the senior centers after hours, since the county incurs additional costs for having staff working during evenings.
Boyce said he would be asking Michael Murphy, his staff assistant for special projects, to form the committee.
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The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival begins this week and continues into mid-February, but a familiar venue will not having any showings.
That’s the GTE Merchants Walk Cinema on Johnson Ferry Road in East Cobb. We’re seeking further information, but festival organizers have said previously that renovations and reduced theater size prompted the venue change.
On a recent post on its Facebook page, the festival responded that “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Georgia Theatre Company, and returning to this theater for future AJFF programs.”
East Cobb is the home of three synagogues and festival screenings at Merchants Walk typically have sold out and been in high demand. Wednesday’s opening and the Feb. 15 closing for the festival, now in its 18th year, will be at the Cobb Energy Centre.
The opening festivities include a tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr. and a screening of “I’ve Gotta Be Me” and a Q & A with Emmy and Peabody award-winning director Sam Pollard.
The other venues for the festival this year will be the Regal Perimeter Pointe in Sandy Springs; Regal Atlantic Station; Regal Hollywood 24 in Chamblee; The Springs Cinema & Taphouse in Buckhead; Tara Cinemas in Midtown Atlanta; and the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is the largest Jewish film festival in the country, and this year will screen 75 films. Last year the festival had an attendance of more than 38,000.
More information and ticket purchases are available at the AJFF website. Tickets also can be purchased by calling the festival box office at 678-228-8872.
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A new community affairs initiative by Cobb Police, “Coffee With A Cop,” takes place from 5-7 today at the Panera Bread location at The Avenue East Cobb, 4475 Lower Roswell Road.
Officer Nathalie Jegg, the community affairs officer for Precinct 4 in East Cobb, will meet with citizens to discuss public safety issues of concern to them.
It’s part of a community policing program begun by Cobb Police Chief Mike Register, who created the position of community officers in all five precincts.
Here’s how Sgt. Jeff Tatroe, the Cobb Police community affairs unit leader, describes the concept:
Coffee with your Cop brings police officers and the community members they serve together–over coffee–to discuss issues and learn more about each other. In the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee, citizens and police officers can get to know each other and discover mutual goals for the communities they live in and serve. Officer Nathalie Jegg (Pct. 4 Community Affairs Officer) and other Cobb Police officers will be present to engage in discussion. The event will allow you to discuss matters that are most important to you and your neighborhood(s).
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Burn Boot Camp East Cobb, part of a national women’s fitness company, has opened at the Pavilions at East Lake, 2100 Roswell Road (website).
It’s the first of three planned Atlanta-area locations operated by the husband and wife team of Jayme and Chad Avrit. She’s from Marietta and both previously worked in the NASCAR stock car racing industry.
The Burn Boot Camp concept is a 45-minute circuit-style workout that includes 72 different styles and 15 different formats.
Members are not required to register for sessions in advance; all sessions before 5 p.m. are for women only, and free child care is available.
Cobb police meets with ECBA
Next Monday’s quarterly breakfast of the East Cobb Business Association features Cobb Police Precinct 4 commander Maj. Jerry Quan and his deputy, Capt. Everett Cebula. The breakfast takes place from 7:30-8:30 a.m. at the J. Christopher’s at the Pavilions at East Lake, 2100 Roswell Road.
The cost is $10 for ECBA members and $15 for guests; registration here.
Small business nominees sought
The Cobb Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its small business of the year program. A total of 25 businesses from across the county will be selected by a panel of judges, with one of those finalists chosen as the small business of the year.
Last year, East Cobb businesses Ivy Lane Boutique, The Color Spot, Deluxe Athletics, ETA Creative Event Producers, IAG Forensics & Valuation, Seed Kitchen & Bar, Three-13 Salon, Spa & Boutique, Tuxedo Mosquito Control and Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q were among the Top 25 small businesses honored by the chamber.
The program also includes a small business to watch honor, for those small businesses that have been open three years or less. Last year Dirty Deeds Junk Removal Service and Peachtree Hearing of East Cobb were among those businesses recognized in that category.
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Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce speaking to the East Cobb Business Association Tuesday. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)
In appearing before various constituent groups months ahead of time, Mike Boyce has been increasingly blunt about the Cobb budget deficit, which is expected to be at least $30 million for fiscal year 2019.
Earlier this month, the Cobb commission chairman told a few hundred (mostly) upset seniors at the East Cobb Senior Center about the need for rising fees for county services to the elderly, “because we’re all in this together.”
Earlier this week, Boyce met with members of the East Cobb Business Association and delivered a similar message. In what’s becoming something of a stump speech early in the budget season (the FY 2019 budget doesn’t go into effect until October), Boyce continued to sharpen his tone and implore citizens to be vocal and get engaged with the process.
“We have finally shown the reality of what the shortfall is,” Boyce said in remarks at the ECBA’s monthly luncheon at the Olde Towne Athletic Club.
Bringing pie charts and listings of wants and needs, Boyce reiterated his belief that the current general fund millage rate of 6.76—which yielded revenues of $405 million for the current fiscal year 2018—is not sufficient if Cobb is to remain what he calls “a five-star county.”
After Cobb commissioners used contingency money to close a $20 million gap for FY 2018, there aren’t many more sources to tap. Additional needs call for hiring more police officers, among other increases in spending.
Starting his second year in office, Boyce, an East Cobb resident, has said he “wants to get ahead of the story” in shaping the budget picture as clearly as possible.
“Now is the time we have to pay the bills,” he said.
Last year, he tried to get commissioners to approve a 0.13 mill increase to fund the 2008 Cobb parks bond referendum, but was rejected.
(Information and charts provided by Cobb County government.)
Getting approval for a property tax increase to address the widening budget gap might seem unlikely, but on Monday East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott—who uniformly opposes tax increases—opened the door, at least slightly, to such a possibility.
In an article published for the InsiderAdvantage political newsletter, Ott said he opposed a millage rate increase “without cuts in services that are not mandated or essential to county operations.”
Those include senior programs, parks and libraries, which are on a long list of “desired” services that could face significant reductions for FY 2019.
During last year’s budget deliberations, Northeast Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell suggested closing the East Cobb Library, the second-busiest branch in the Cobb system. That never came to fruition, but East Cobb residents who spoke out against that proposal remain concerned.
She estimates her proposal would cost taxpayers an additional $25 a year to avoid the possibility of up to $3 million in cuts (roughly a quarter of the library system’s entire budget) and closing multiple branches.
Ott further explained in the InsiderAdvantage piece that at a commissioners budget retreat last fall, he and a colleague worked up a budget solution with a $55 million deficit baseline and balanced that with non-essential program cuts, fee increases and a 0.5 millage rate increase.
That 0.5 mills would yield $14 million, by Ott’s calculation. He concluded by writing that after “desired” cuts were made and required spending was approved, and “if the essential list is not completely funded” with the present millage rate, “only then would I consider a tax increase.”
Boyce said he read Ott’s article and found it constructive and useful.
“How we’re going to get [to a resolution] is the next part of the problem,” Boyce told the ECBA attendees. “It’s a painful truth, but we’ve got to start telling the truth.”
Boyce will deliver his State of the County address to the Cobb Chamber of Commerce Monday morning.
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